


use your damn turn signals !

by falsely_true



Series: tiger & bunny [5]
Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Humor, LMAO, Male Pronouns, Other, Pre-Canon, alkdfja, and it never said familial love couldnt count, because i need to start working on it, considering my awful dialogue lmao, i guess?, kotetsu just being a good dad, male reader - Freeform, no beta we die like men, part of 100 ways to say ily challenge, reader gets roadrage, reader is kinda a hypocrite, specifically a month before canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falsely_true/pseuds/falsely_true
Summary: « oh, i was just asking how your day at school went. »kotetsu repeated again, seemingly unbothered. he glanced to his right to check on you before taking his eyes back on the road.« dad, i’m in college.you muttered.not middle school… »in which kotetsu wants to make up for the lost time with his son but criminals say otherwise.
Relationships: Kotetsu T. Kaburagi & Reader
Series: tiger & bunny [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806622
Kudos: 5





	use your damn turn signals !

**Author's Note:**

> **pairing:** wild tiger | kotetsu t. kaburagi & male!reader
> 
>  **genre:** humour
> 
>  **a/n:** purely self indulgent—i will replace my missing father figure in life w kotetsu  
> that's called self-care , babey !!!  
> p.s. i can be an older brother to kaede 🥺🥺 pls adopt me
> 
> * * *
> 
> dialogue guide:  
> « ... » (guillemets) are quotation marks.  
>  _italics_ within the quotation marks are... the speaking verb, i think is what it's called in english.  
> – the en dash signifies a new person is speaking

your eyes felt tired…

maybe you’ll just… blink… for a… bit…

nodding into unconsciousness, you caught yourself before you fell asleep and snapped back up against the passenger seat.  
you stared blankly at the road in front of you, trying your best to focus on the lyrics of the song that currently played. focus... on the beat… and instrument…

it wasn’t working! you realised with a start, catching your drowsy self nodding back to sleep. the loud music, which you were too tired to identify, not enough to keep you from dozing off.

bright lights flash through the window, passing quickly, and you decided to stare blearily at them, hoping it’ll entertain your brain enough to keep yourself awake. but their shape began to blur as your eyes unfocused from the scenery.

your eyes felt heavy.

maybe you’ll just… rest your eyes… for a little bit…

« ………….y ………….t…? »

« ……n? »

was someone calling you?

« ………….? ……….n…? »

you recognised that voice…

« ………….?? ……….y…??? »

« ………….! ……….n!?! »

there was urgency in the tone, the volume alone startling you awake with a yelp.  
scrambling, you snatched the earbuds out of your ears, the music quickly replaced by the loud humming of the engine and rancorous blaring of the cars around you, and you looked around in a bit of a panic, the adrenaline from being woken up causing you to be on high alert.

« ah?! yeah? sorry… _you jolted back awake._ i wasn’t paying attention… »

you sat rigidly on the seat, attentive, determined to make up for your bout of inattention.

« oh, i was just asking how your day at school went. »

kotetsu repeated again, seemingly unbothered. he glanced to his right to check on you before taking his eyes back on the road.

oh... was that it…? so it wasn’t that important…

you stared momentarily in disbelief before your shoulders sagged and you sighed with faux exasperation, leaning back on the leather until you slid down into an awkward but currently comfortable position.

« dad, i’m in college. _you muttered._ not middle school…  
 _knowing that your dad would keep pressing until he got a response, you answered uncommitantly._ classes went fine. »

but it didn’t seem like that was the answer he had wanted and, instead of being appeased, he took another worried glance at you.

« what? _you asked groggily._  
– tough day? _he continued, unconvinced._  
– why? _you asked, rubbing the sleep from your eyes._  
– you look exhausted. have you been sleeping well?  
– it’s nothing, i’m fine. honest! just still have a lot to unpack… _yawning, you continued your tirade._ who would’ve guessed that moving out was **this** tiring and time consuming. _you grumbled._ »

you felt the car take a sharp left and heard your father laugh excitedly to himself:  
« you know you can always ask your dad to lend a hand if it’s too much, right? _he offered eagerly._ with my 100 power, we’ll be done in no time! _he pushed playfully, grinning._  
– nah, it’s fine, don’t worry about it. _you waved off._ i just like to complain. _you confessed._ »

though just the thought of all those _heavy_ boxes was enough to make your bones ache, you were certain you could take care of it yourself, seeing as you already handled most of it just fine, if a bit slowly.  
you did not say it, but you winced at the thought of your father using his ability inside your flat. knowing him, he’d accidentally break more than a few items by trying to help out. you weren’t sure if your scholarship covered property damage—next related property damage—but something told you that the answer was no…

« besides. _you continued._ i’d prefer it if you used your power for something that actually mattered.  
– you getting a good night’s sleep matters! _he replied stubbornly._  
– you know what i meant! _you rolled your eyes in good fun._ »

your terrible sitting position finally catching up to you, you slowly fixed your posture, grimacing slightly because of the back pain you’ve caused yourself.

« aww come on, don’t you want to spend time with your old man? how about some good ol’ father-son bonding? _his zeal evident in his voice._  
– isn’t that what we’re doing right now? _you replied, sounding bored._ that’s why you picked me up, right? »

you cringe slightly at how unintentionally cold you came off.  
you were happy to see him, seeing as it was the first time you got to meet him in person since you moved out to the city. or more accurately, the first time since a long time, at least a few months…  
he had called you earlier today, offering to pick you up and catching up with you, and you had accepted.

you find yourself about to apologise, but it seemed your father had moved on, paying no mind to your unintentional rejection:  
« i could show you around? _he offered happily._ give you a tour of the city!  
 _you were hesitant to accept, glancing at the gps he was using to show the directions **back to his own house** —come to think of it, you’ve never actually seen his flat before…_  
– i’ll… think about it, _you said gently._ maybe when i’m free… but aren’t you busy? _you genuinely asked, unsure._  
– if it’s for you i can make time!  
– i’m flattered, but if you have that much free time, you should probably use it to call kaede. _you sighed._ she doesn’t act like it, but she misses you lots.  
 _speaking of your little sister..._  
you haven't forgotten that she has a figure skating recital next month, right? _you asked, knowing full well he probably did._  
– is it really next month?!  
 _you nodded, unfazed by his genuine surprise._  
– you should probably… jot that date down somewhere… _you suggested.  
you rest your head on your hand and gazed out the window, yet another sigh escaping you._  
in any case, we live on the same stage—i’ll just hop on the bus or the metro and come visit whenever… neither of us are busy. _you added._ »

god, were you lecturing your own father?? you groaned inwardly at the realisation that you were picking up on his habit.

sighing for the umpteenth time, you watch the roads pass by through the window. the first year wasn’t really all that tough, but you were determined to maintain your gpa. and your father had a point: there was still the issue of getting acclimated to living in a bustling city rather than the quiet rural life you were used to back at home—not to mention getting used to navigating the city’s unnecessarily confusing geography.  
unpacking. assignments. getting used to a new life. finding your way around the place. there was so much to do and all you wanted to do was nap.

however, you were no longer sleepy, so you reached over to turn the radio on, wondering if there was anything new or interesting to listen to.  
so far, for the few weeks that you’ve been in sternbild, all that’s been broadcasted were the same 5 songs (one of which was sung by a hero) over and over again or the same two hero interview. at first, it was a nice change from the monotony of oriental town and you actually liked the few pop songs that rolled around, but it’s starting to get a tad bit too repetitive for your liking. but it’s not like there was much you can do about it. it’s radio. that’s how radios worked. you just like complaining.

the rest of the drive had been uneventful, even with your father’s jabbering, and you soon found yourself being only a few hundred metres away from reaching your destination.  
kotetsu called your name, prompting you to respond with a « hmm? », notifying him that you were listening:  
« you’re ok with fried rice for dinner, right?  
– i don’t mi— »

you began your reply, but a loud buzzing interrupted you: your father’s communicator flashing, indicating an incoming call.

suddenly, like a switch had been flipped, your father took on a very serious expression, and you mentally prepared yourself for the series of events that were going to unfold (through the form of yet another sigh)—the atmosphere weighted by a sense of urgency.

he was about to ask you to hand him the briefcase under the passenger seat, but you moved before he got the chance to speak and dropped it on the backseat:  
« he—  
– **pull over,** _you requested._ **let me drive for a while.**  
 _he was about to inquire why when you cut him off, justifying yourself._  
you're not going to change **while** driving, are you? _you questioned, raising a brow._ »

you hope not, your heart is too frail to handle all the chaos and near death experiences that’ll ensue—no way in hell were you going to help your father commit a dozen traffic violations and be complicit at breaking a few dozen more traffic laws.  
but knowing him, that was probably what he was planning to do…  
he stared obliviously at you before his eyes lit up with realisation and he fulfilled your request, pulling over:  
« you have a point! _light-hearted as ever, as if you had just proposed a groundbreaking alternative._ »

so he really was planning to drive and change… however that would’ve worked out…

as soon as the car stopped, the both of you scrambled to switch places. you hopped over to the driver’s seat while your father dashed off. just as your seatbelt clicked, you heard kotetsu slam the car door with more force than intended.

« so… where to? _you asked, readjusting the seat.  
looking around the automatic vehicle, you quickly familiarised yourself with the controls._  
– a shopping centre by the kronos foods headquarter. _kotetsu had already started rummaging through the suitcase as he filled you in._  
– that’s uhm… _you thought for a moment._ north silver, stern medaille area? _you wagered, and seeing as he didn’t correct you you assumed that you were right._ gotcha.  
– ah, you can get there through the uh— the main street. cut through the stern medaille area and then go on the overpass. _realising that you probably weren’t use to the city’s topography, your father tried (key word **tried** ) to give you the directions as simply as possible._ can’t miss it, you’ll reach it if you turn left, and then keep going straight.  
 _you pursed your lips as you thought about the suggested route—his words a vague mess that you had become accustomed to and which you understood perfectly._  
– no, it’s too crowded.  
 _people are on their home from work or school and the traffic jams were probably quite severe._  
we can get there faster by going downtown, _you suggested._ it should be empty at this hour.  
– ah, you’re right! when you’re right you’re right! _he quipped._ »

your dad was pleased that you seemed to have gotten the hang of navigating the city so quickly, but before he could ruminate any further, he found himself being forcibly jostled back as the car started abruptly, speeding off.

« don’t worry, i’ll get us there in no time! _you assured him._ »

and for some reason, your words inspired dread within your father’s soul. little did he know it had only just been the beginning…

kotetsu has now come to the quite alarming conclusion that you were an absolute menace to be around when driving. a merciless force to be reckoned with.  
abusing the accelerator and speeding at more than a few kilometres over the speed limit—you were your father’s son after all—he has lost count of how many times he had been thrown around in the car and nearly having a heart attack after violently hitting every bump or pothole.

you had innocently justified yourself by saying that:  
« the hero who arrives first gets more points right? »

but that didn’t change the fact that he felt like he was shoved into a washing machine and was tossed around at the highest speed.

kotetsu was touched that you cared, but after a particularly rough sleeping policeman, he realised that at this rate you were about to kill him before arriving at the scene. he didn’t think he would’ve even be fully dressed by the time you arrived at your destination, struggling to put on his clothes with how unsteady the car was being throughout the turbulent ride.  
though brief, his only saving grace came when you had to slow down due to the presence of other vehicles on the road or when you had to take a turn—which were few and far between, seeing as the route you chose had mostly been a long stretch of deserted road.

admittedly, it’s been a long time since he actually spent time with you, but besides the alarming way you drove, he was rather caught off guard to hear the full range of your colourful vocabulary. he swears he’s hearing expletives he did not think existed.

to think that he had thought that nathan had bad road rage.

« since when did you know how to drive? _kotetsu didn’t want to doubt you, but there was no way any driving school would’ve accepted your reckless driving._ who did you learn with?  
– with uncle muramasa, _you explained._  
– oh.  
 _everything makes sense now._  
– i got a licence a few years ag— _you adjusted the rearview mirror, but was caught off guard by what you saw._  
dad. _you deadpaned._  
– yeah?  
– your shirt is backwards. _you informed, fighting the urge to bury your face into the steering wheel._  
-is it?!  
 _he looked down to examine himself before he concluded rather loudly._  
IT IS!! »

you look back at the horrific combination of blue, white, and black and fought to suppress a cringe. it was atrocious, but you don't have the heart to tell him that his costume was horrifying.  
pushing the gaudy design to the back of your mind, you continued to drive to the shopping malls.

in the meantime, kotetsu rushed to correct his attire, but whilst he reached out to grab another article of clothing, the car came to a screeching halt, nearly hurling the man back towards the front seat.  
notwithstanding the damage being done to his car, being flung around with reckless abandon, he’s starting to honestly believe he might not make it out of this car ride alive.

gripping the headrest of the passenger seat to stabilise himself, he tried to get your attention, interjecting:  
« h-hey, can you try taking it eas—  
 _but the query went unheeded as you smashed the car horn in frustration, clearly more concerned with what caused you to come to a dead stop._  
– wh— _you sounded genuinely offended, taking the other driver’s action as a personal affront._ that fucKING COCKTAPUS! use your fucking turn signals!!  
 _agitated, you made the violent turn you were deprived of with a huff, continuing to speed off._  
did i just call that man a cocktapus? _you asked yourself in disbelief, sobering up as your ire dissipated._ »

as the anger left you, you slowly stepped off of the gas pedal and slowed the car down:  
« sorry, i’ll slow down. _you apologised, processing his previous suggestion._ »

and he thought he had experienced road rage before…

at least you were getting accustomed to life in a megalopolis and... one facet of the city's culture (?)

nevertheless, the car took a more reasonable speed and he was grateful to whatever god had heard his pleas. finally, it seemed that he would find respite as the two of you approached the scene of the crime—the famous sternbild traffic coming into view. you were right: the congestion was really bad, the commute worsened by the fact that there was a criminal at large.

fastening his mask, double checking that it was secure, he asked you to stop and drop him off right where you were.

« eh? _you were surprised._ right here? _you echoed, a mix of confusion and uncertainty._ but we’re still a few metres away…  
 _even if you were unsure, you still moved to park the car by the side of the road._  
– right here is fine, _he repeated, jumping out of the car._ i don’t want you to be too close to the epicentre. _he admitted, worry in his voice.  
but you popped your head out of the side window, unconvinced._  
– then do you want me to wait here or by a cafe or something? _you offered._  
– no, you can go home ahead, _he waved you off._ i’ll meet you there!  
– you sure? _checking once more._  
– don’t worry! i can walk back or something. »

seeing your reluctance to leave your father goes to ruffle your hair, reassuring you that he’ll be fine, and you quickly move to swat his hand away, embarrassed:  
« fine! _you yelled out, conceding._ i’ll go, so cut it out! i’m 18, not 8! _you reminded him, mortified._ »

but despite your indignant tone, you were smiling.

your father ran off to wherever the location actually was, and, taking it as your cue to leave, you began to start the engine.  
feeling as nice as pie, you moved unhurriedly and allowed yourself to relax a little bit.

but you were just about to drive away when an impatient motorcycle zoomed past you, clipping the side of the car, causing you to lash out again—once more consumed by fury—this time at the unsuspecting assailant:  
« cumdumpster butt pirate !!! BITCH! »

still within earshot, your dad cringed.

kotetsu might need to have a talk with his brother.

* * *

**epilogue **

« **and what’s this? here comes a hero right now!** _the announcer emphatically declared._ **surprising everyone, it’s wild tiger: the crusher for justice!! will he be able to make a grand arrest today or will he end up aggravating the situation?!** »

**Author's Note:**

> *lower-case letters are intentional  
> *english is not my first language--i apologise for any mistakes i failed to correct  
> *i write dialogues slightly differently than what you'd usually find because that is what i'm used to using in the french system--i apologise in advance for any confusion i may cause  
> *like my work? consider leaving a comment or kudo // buying me a coffee // checking out my other stuff


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